


Answer Me, 2014

by msinpinitu (Knaija)



Category: Infinite (Band)
Genre: Angst, Anniversary, Flashbacks, Fluff, Miscommunication, Pining, Promiscuity, bad timing, overuse of the word "fuck", tiny smut, woogyuya roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-24
Updated: 2017-07-22
Packaged: 2018-11-18 10:12:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11289153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Knaija/pseuds/msinpinitu
Summary: Woohyun thinks love should be celebrated. He believes in gifts and fluff and kisses stolen in dark corners of the street just because. He thinks a date should be public and those involved should have a good time.But he’s equally aware of the spaces in between. The times when no one wants to remember they’re in love because it hurts so much. He also remembers what the beginning looked like. When emotions ran so close to the surface that they could be mistaken for something entirely different.Clear as day, Woohyun can remember how this all started.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A few things would be glaringly, obviously borrowed from the Reply Me Franchise:  
> 1] Flashbacks  
> 2] Communal living/place of congregation  
> 3] The hidden identity of the “couple” in question

** 2017 **

Woohyun sat at his desk in the studio, bent over the almost finished canvas as he scrubbed the edges and indulged in some finishing touches. He had to make it look just right. No sense in making such a big deal about the day and then not showing up with a gift.

As he sat back to take a look at his masterpiece, he couldn’t help feeling that maybe, just maybe, this might look good hanging in the living room. It had been a while since he hung anything up in the house. Maybe it was time to change that.

A two year anniversary was a big deal. And he was going to make the most of it.

“Cliché.” Sungyeol said, leaning over Woohyun from behind as he stared down at the canvas in disdain.

Refusing to rise to the bait, Woohyun shoved him away and continued.

“Of all the things you could paint…” Sungyeol said, leaving the sentence to hang between them in the quiet studio as Woohyun hated that he hadn’t played any music when he got in.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” He asked, suddenly unable to resist Sungyeol’s nonsense.

“You’re painting your old apartment! For your anniversary.”

“It’s not just about the old apartment.” Woohyun said, looking down at the drawing and feeling inadequate all of a sudden. He pressed the lever on the side of the stand as the top rose till it was almost vertical. “It’s the day we first met.”

Sungyeol looked over and squinted at the painting.

“Right?” Sungyeol said. “How didn’t I see that?”

“So you agree it’s a great present?”

Sungyeol scoffed.

“It’s still a cliché!”

Woohyun tossed his brush at Sungyeol and rejoiced when it hit him squarely between the eyes.

*********

** 2014 **

Woohyun knew he was going to get beaten. One way or another. So he just figured he’d reduce his sentence by, at least, giving Sunggyu a heads-up.

“You’re staring again.” Sunggyu said, through clenched teeth where he’d stuffed a pencil in his mouth while tapping a pen on the mixer before him. “If you’re not going to be useful, get the fuck out of my studio.”

“Hyung, we need a roommate.” Woohyun stated.

“No, we don’t.”

“This house was built for five people.”

“And we’re managing.”

“I don’t think I can afford it much longer.”

“We don’t need anyone else.”

“We used to be five and now we’re only two.”

Sunggyu turned and faced him, taking the pencil out of his mouth.

“Because you slept with all our roommates, broke their hearts and they couldn’t look at you anymore.”

Woohyun wavered, staring intently at his hyung. Sunggyu was exaggerating –of course- but there was a time Woohyun had labored under the impression that he was right. But then he’d gotten over that pretty quickly when he’d realized that he’d never lied to any of them. He’d never promised them forever. And he’d never told them they were exclusive.

It wasn’t his fault that they were jealous and childish about the whole matter.

“We have a good set up here, Woohyun.” Sunggyu said, pushing his chair as it rolled over so that he was sitting directly in front of Woohyun. “I have my recording studio now. And you were talking about turning the other room into a painting studio.”

“Yes, but what about the fifth room?”

“Can’t it just me you and I?”

Something swirled in Woohyun’s belly as he looked into his hyung’s earnest eyes. If only Sunggyu knew what that question meant to Woohyun. If only he knew the torture it was to watch him every day and not be able to do anything about it. How he’d come in here to listen to Sunggyu work just so that he could get a live-feel for how great it would be to just bend Sunggyu over his mega mixers and fuck him till he couldn’t breathe.

He could do it. Woohyun knew how to make it good. He’d suck him off and lick it all up and press against Sunggyu till his hyung was dizzy. And then just when he started to get all melty, he’d fuck Sunggyu again till he, himself came. And if God loved Woohyun so much, he’d have Sunggyu’s dick hard again by the time Woohyun was finished… just so Woohyun could blow him again. It would be so good.

But Sunggyu was straight as a needle. And that was that.

“Does it mean so much to you?” Sunggyu asked, looking at Woohyun with concern.

“Yes, hyung.” Woohyun said.

“Okay. Fine.” He pushed himself back to the mixer. “Put out feelers, see who shows up.”

Woohyun cleared his throat and got to his feet.

“See that’s the thing…”

“What?”

“I already did.” Woohyun said, hand on the door.

“What!” Sunggyu faced him.

“I got someone.”

“WHAT?!”

“And he’s coming to see the place today-”

Woohyun had to duck as Sunggyu’s music book hit the door before he opened the door and ran out.

*********

Woohyun’s cheeks are red from where Sunggyu had grabbed on and pulled till Woohyun had to get up from his bed, just so his cheeks wouldn’t leave his face. But it was all so worth it. It had seemed like a brilliant idea to live as a duo, but Woohyun’s bills were piling up and now, he was forced to admit that a painter’s salary didn’t pay like a music producer’s. They needed, at least, one more person to share the rent and he was glad he’d gone ahead and posted the ad online.

Waiting for Sunggyu would have taken ages.

As the doorbell rang, Woohyun rushed to it, eager to see the man for himself, but as he opened the door, he froze in his tracks, blinking at the stunning specimen of beauty standing there in jeans, a shirt and jacket and looking as if he’d just stepped out from a modeling shoot.

“Hi.” He said, waving awkwardly. “I’m Howon? I filled in the application for-”

“Yeah.” Woohyun said, recovering. “Yes. Come in, please.” He held the door aside, standing and waiting as Howon walked in just so he could get a nice view of his behind which did not disappoint. “You said you just moved to Seoul?”

“I just moved _back_ , actually.” Howon said, taking off his jacket to reveal a beautifully defined upper-body, scarcely hidden by the flimsy excuse for a T-shirt he was wearing. Woohyun could not believe his luck. “Is it just going to be you and me?”

“Ye-no!” Woohyun said, trying to remind himself that they needed the roommate. He needed the roommate. If he was going to survive, he needed to behave himself. Frowning and feeling a little bit constipated, Woohyun suddenly hated that Howon was as hot as he was.

Because Howon was definitely –oh, so definitely, off limits.

*********

** 2017 **

Woohyun’s phone rang as he answered.

“Where are you?”

“I’m outside.” Howon said

Woohyun blushed.

“You didn’t have to come and pick me up. I could have met you at-”

“It’s fine.” Howon said boredly.

“It’s your big day. You shouldn’t-” Woohyun trailed off when Sunggyu’s laughter sounded through the phone. Of course he was with Howon.

“Sunggyu-hyung is here too?”

“It’s like you said. Big day.” Howon said.

“Woohyun-ah, open the door for hyung.” Sunggyu called through the line as Woohyun got to his feet already heading for the door. “Unless you want us to freeze out here.”

“I’m coming. I’m coming. Yeesh, you nag too much.”

“Like a good wife.” Howon said as a slapping sound informed Woohyun that Howon had just been hit.

“Say that again. I dare you.”

Woohyun pulled open the latch and slid the giant doors open with one hand to reveal the two men standing out in the cold with their jackets around their necks as they both smiled at Woohyun.


	2. Chapter 2

** 2017 **

Sunggyu had to take a call from the office so he retreated to a corner in the studio, blocking out Woohyun and Howon as they talked animatedly with Sungyeol. By the time he returned, Sungyeol wasn’t in the studio anymore. Instead, Woohyun and Howon stood, huddled over a blank sheet of canvas, whispering to each other… speaking as if they wanted to enter into each other’s mouths.

If this was three years ago, Sunggyu was sure he’d feel a pang of jealousy. But they were all past that now. Everything had changed and Sunggyu didn’t think there was anything to fight for anymore.

*********

** 2014 **

Sunggyu hated Howon from the moment they met. He was sleek and graceful and didn’t feel the need to fill empty silences the way Sunggyu did whenever it was just the two of them. There was also the added bonus that when Woohyun was around, he seemed so enamored by anything Howon did.

Howon did the dishes like a pro.

Howon did laundry like a pro.

Howon danced like a pro.

Howon even flirted like a pro.

Sunggyu hated him. Just like a pro would.

However, with Woohyun circling Howon for weeks and doing absolutely nothing about it, Sunggyu figured it was his time to step up. He’d put it off long enough. And he wasn’t about to bank on his future with Woohyun on the chance that Woohyun would have the restraint to not seduce Howon into his bed. If Sunggyu was going to confess, he had to do it now.

The first thing he did was get a haircut. And then he went down to the bakery and ordered some pastries before stopping by the wine shop on the way home and the grocery store. It had been a while since he was sure he’d have the house all to himself. Woohyun would be home, but Howon’s company had whisked him away for an MT. So this was the night.

Sunggyu was going to do it.

But when he got home that night, there was a strange pair of shoes in the fore room. Praying with all his might that his thoughts might be wrong, Sunggyu dropped the wine on the dining room table and tipped toe up the stairs until he came to Woohyun’s room where he could hear the distinct sound of skin, smacking against skin, as an unnamed, unfamiliar man moaned in throaty ecstasy at the hands of Woohyun.

Backing away from the door, Sunggyu walked back to his room. He slipped in, closed the door and fell to the floor, feeling the tears rolling down the side of his face.

*********

Sunggyu had never been one to delude himself. He knew where his mind went when it wandered and he didn’t shy away from daydreams or pretend that they weren’t happening. He liked to embrace every experience as it came because he’d come to realize that while sad situations often caused him to lose a lot of body salt, he also got good writing out of it.

He was an angry writer and he liked it.

But for some reason, this time, the anger couldn’t translate to lyrics or tunes or beats or anything. He just felt empty and angry and nothing. He sat in the studio for the whole day, barely registering that he’d had nothing to eat. By the time it was night, the door creaked open and Woohyun peeped in holding two packets of food.

“Hungry?” He asked.

“No.”

“I haven’t seen you all day.”

“I’m busy.”

“I can see that.” Woohyun said sarcastically.

“Do you want something?” Sunggyu snapped, belatedly wishing he hadn’t as Woohyun looked hurt.

“I was just… I wanted to- yeah.” Woohyun waved and exited the room, leaving behind the packets of food he’d brought with him.

*********

Sunggyu’s mood did not improve when Howon got back. It got even worse with the amount of doting Woohyun was bestowing on the newest addition to their odd, little home. He hated the way he was feeling and he couldn’t understand why. He’d seen Woohyun flirt before. He’d witnessed countless men gracing Woohyun’s bed and leaving the next morning with shameful, but happy, looks on their face. He’d always known what he was missing. Yet, he’d never felt so bad about it.

Not like he did now.

Presently, it felt like a million, tiny people were stomping around in his stomach and making him ache in new ways. And Sunggyu hated it. He hated himself. He hated Woohyun. And he hated that it almost felt as if Howon was slowly taking his place in the house.

“Do you want to watch a movie tonight, hyung?” Howon asked.

Pretending he hadn’t heard, Sunggyu kept walking passed the sitting room as he took his dinner into the studio and slammed the door shut in his wake.

*********

** 2017 **

Sunggyu watched Woohyun and Howon until something caught his eye. Hidden in the tiny space between Woohyun’s work bench and the wall was a newly painted canvas, still straight so as not to smudge, but hidden all the same. He’d spent enough years living with a painter to know when a piece of art was new. But he couldn’t understand why Woohyun was hiding it. He usually always showed off his new work, doused in pride and ready to boast about his inspiration.

Deciding not to break up whatever tiny news was keeping the other two in their own world, he slid behind Woohyun and carefully pulled out the canvas as Woohyun noticed too late and shrieked, trying to get over the bench.

“HYUNG! WAIT!”

However, he was too late. Because Sunggyu was suddenly staring down at a distant memory of his that Woohyun had beautifully transferred into print.

*********

** 2014 **

Sunggyu came home to find an unfamiliar butt in the air, posed above a cluster of moving boxes.

“Who are you?” He asked the man full of eyebrows.

“Howon. Lee Howon.” He said, raising his hand up for a handshake. Sunggyu didn’t take it. “I’m your new roommate.”

No. Just no. Woohyun was not going to go out and bring back another person for him to bang silly while Sunggyu was forced to either listen or barricade himself in the studio.

“Hey, hyung-” Woohyun said, marching into the sitting room as he stopped, sensing that all was not well between his roommates. “This is Howon.”

“I know.” Sunggyu dropped his bag and pulled off his shoes.

“He’s the new idol trainer at Megastar Entertainment.” Woohyun explained as Sunggyu stepped into the house, by-passing Howon and moving in on Woohyun who was suddenly backing away. “Hyung, it’s not what you-”

“You’re going to promise me that if I let someone else into this house, you won’t just bang him, break him and ask me for a new roommate in two months.”

Behind him, Howon scoffed. In front of him, Woohyun whimpered. Then laughed, trying to skitter away as Sunggyu grabbed him by the shoulder.

“Nam Woohyun!”

“Hyung, I already made a personal decision not to have sex with any more roommates.” Woohyun promised. “I won’t do it again.”

Sunggyu looked at him till he was satisfied that Woohyun was telling the truth. Then he turned around and faced Howon.

“And you? You’re not to seduce him. You’re not to touch him. You can’t even go near him in any sexual way. Or you can’t move in.”

“No problem with me. I like this apartment.” Howon said shrugging.

“See?” Woohyun jumped in. “Howon gets it. He understands. No sex with the housemates. I get it. If I want to fuck someone, I’ll fuck strangers. Deal?”

Sunggyu looked at the sweaty man standing on the other side of Woohyun, stepped forward and offered his hand to Howon. Howon took it in a firm handshake and nodded.

“Deal.” He agreed.

*********

** 2017 **

Sunggyu looked at the painting of him and Howon shaking hands in their old sitting room with the old boxes in the background and the scattered house. He also took in Howon’s worn out wife-beater and the fingerless gloves he’d worn that day. He’d always thought he was the only one that day had left an impression on, but apparently, it had also left a huge impression on Woohyun if he was painting it today of all days.

“Where are you?” Sunggyu asked, noticing an obvious absence of Woohyun in the painting.

“Yeah, Woohyun.” Howon asked. “You were there that day.”

Woohyun just blushed and took the painting from Sunggyu’s hand.

“You’ve ruined the surprise, hyung. Like always.”

“Yeah, but why didn’t you include yourself in the picture?”

Sunggyu couldn’t take his eyes off of the painter as Woohyun moved around the room, obviously upset but trying to hide it. Sunggyu couldn’t understand. What was wrong? Why was he like this all of a sudden? If this painting was meant to be a present, wasn’t Woohyun supposed to depict it the way it had happened?

“Every time I remember that day,” Woohyun explained. “Somehow, I never remember myself as a part of that conversation.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, please don't kill me yet. This is only just chapter 2.


	3. Chapter 3

** 2017 **

Howon didn’t know what to do. Woohyun was sulking and muttering to himself as he laid the canvas back on the board and clipped it on. When Howon looked at Sunggyu, Sunggyu looked just as worried, but not as confused as Howon felt. He really shouldn’t have been surprised. Whenever Sunggyu wasn’t ignoring Woohyun, he always seemed to know what to do and how to make Woohyun feel better.

*********

** 2014 **

Howon’s new roommates were the best he could have asked for. And for all the things he’d expected to ruin his stay, he would never have believed that his agony would come in the form of angst and inter-personal relationships.

They were fine for the first few weeks until Howon had to go on an MT with the Megastar employees. When he got back, though, it was almost as if he was walking around on eggshells made of trip bombs. While Woohyun was the obvious guilty party in the situation, Sunggyu seemed determined to make both Howon’s and Woohyun’s presence something to be ignored.

 “What’s going on with you two?” Howon asked one day as Woohyun laid out his cones on the laundry room window sill while Howon did laundry.

“Who two?”

“You and Sunggyu.”

Woohyun scoffed.

“It’s nothing. It doesn’t mean anything.”

“I heard you crying…” Howon said, letting the words drift off on their own as Woohyun reddened and dropped the last cone, failing to keep his hands from shaking as he pulled them away.

“That wasn’t about him.”

“What was it about?”

It took Woohyun a few seconds, but he eventually said:

“I don’t know.”

Not that it was Howon’s business but he figured he’d help. So he offered Sunggyu companionship. He tried to get him to spend some time with him and Woohyun. He even tried cleaning up Sunggyu’s studio one Sunday that he had free time. He’d never expected to be on the receiving end of a barrage of insults for moving Sunggyu’s things around.

After that, Howon gave up trying.

*********

It wasn’t very hard to see what was going on once Howon stopped trying to infuse himself into his roommates’ lives. As much of a dick Sunggyu was, he seemed to graduate to a whole new level every time Woohyun brought someone home. After he’d noticed this for three consecutive booty calls, Howon was taken back to his first day in the apartment when Sunggyu had made Woohyun and Howon promise not to fuck each other.

“Ahh.” Howon said to himself as Woohyun looked up at him from where he was stringing out a newly made painting.

“What ahh?”

“I just solved world peace.” Howon told him.

“Congratulations.” Woohyun replied dryly as he went back to his work.

Sunggyu was in love with Woohyun but was too chicken to do anything about it. And Woohyun was completely oblivious of Sunggyu’s feelings because he was too busy banging everyone. And so the jealousy led to anger which led to discomfort which led to Howon poking his nose into things that were not his business. Which meant all he had to do was-

“Sunggyu likes you.”

“Of course he does.”

“I’m serious.”

“I know you are.”

“Woohyun-”

“Look, I’ve been up all night on this because I have to ship it in three days so I’ll tell you now: anything you say, I’m just going to agree with you because I’m that strung out. So please, don’t expect much from me in this conversation.”

As Woohyun went back to work, Howon threw on his jacket and went to work.

*********

Later that night, as Woohyun threw something together for Howon’s dinner, he decided to bring it up again.

Woohyun laughed. As jovial as Woohyun had always been, Howon didn’t remember a time he’d heard something so pure come out of Woohyun since he’d moved in. His laughter sounded real and happy and Howon wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about that.

“Okay.” Woohyun replied, placing a plate in from of Howon.

“It’s true.” Howon argued, wondering why Woohyun had just laughed him off like a good joke.

“Sunggyu-hyung doesn’t do dicks.”

“Have you tried?” Howon asked.

“Of course I’ve tried.” Woohyun said, looking insulted. “I’m a man-whore.” He stated. “I think you’re the only guy I haven’t tried to fuck.”

And then he stared at Howon’s lips for a few moments before he blinked and seemed to come back to himself.

“You’re always so serious.” Woohyun smacked him on the back, laughing a little. “Who knew you had a sense of humor?”

As Woohyun left, Howon knew there was only one way to do this. If Woohyun wasn’t going to step up and unclog that blocked being of sexuality that was Sunggyu, Howon was damn sure going to do something about it.

After all, _he’d_ never made a promise never to fuck a roommate.

*********

“What are you doing?” Sunggyu asked the moment the door closed behind Howon.

“I wanted to talk to you.” Howon said. They were home alone and this seemed like the perfect time to approach Sunggyu. He seemed easy enough. He was wound so tight that Howon was sure Sunggyu would snap like a twig if he applied enough pressure.

“I don’t want to talk to you.” Sunggyu said, tossing the small towel he was using to dry his hair on the bed in favor of paying attention to his pajama drawer. “Get out.”

“Nope.” Howon said, unbuttoning his shirt and pulling it off.

“I’m really not in the mood for your-” Sunggyu turned around and saw Howon shirtless, beginning to start on his pants. “Lee Howon, you put your clothes back on right this moment.”

“Hyung, you’re too wound-up. Let’s let loose for a minute.” He said, moving in on Sunggyu as Sunggyu tried to move away but Howon had already gotten close enough that by shifting out, Sunggyu’s towel fell to the ground, leaving him completely naked. Howon would have laughed at the shocked, cornered look on Sunggyu’s face… if only Sunggyu hadn’t recovered and kneed in him in the groin, causing Howon to double over in pain.

“What the fuck?” Howon groaned, kneeling on the floor.

“What the fuck, you too.” Sunggyu raged. “What? You don’t like your room? You don’t like to stay here? I can make it real easy for you.”

Howon shook his head, struggling to breathe so that the pain would not overpower him. Shaking a little, he got to his feet, picked up his shirt and quietly exited stage left.

This was too much of a non-concern for Howon to get hurt like.

He was definitely OUT!

*********

While Howon iced his balls in his room, he heard the unmistakable click of Woohyun’s room door clicking shut, but not before he heard giggling and loud smooches that usually signified a new one-night stand.

In that moment, Howon decided he was never getting in the middle of _that_. If the other two were just going to keep hurting each other, he didn’t want to be a part of it.

Except, his room door opened and closed and Sunggyu was standing there, now dressed for the night, but looking anything but at ease.

“Is your offer still open?” Sunggyu asked, breathing a little too erratic for someone who’d only just walked across the hall.

“Will you try to castrate me again?”

“No.” he said. “And I’m sorry about that.”

Howon took the ice off and wiggled on his bed, noting that while the pain had subsided, the ice had turned his dick a little numb.

“You’ll just have to wait a few minutes.” Howon said, dropping the ice-pack on the table as Sunggyu quickly covered the distance between them.

“I’m sure I can get blood back in your dick in seconds.” Sunggyu said, climbing into Howon’s lap as he attacked his lips with vigorous enthusiasm.

“Wait…. Wait!” Howon said, trying to pull Sunggyu away but all that succeeded in happening was giving Sunggyu access to his neck as he felt nimble fingers begin to tug at his fly. “Ground rules.” Howon said as he finally got Sunggyu to stop and look at him. “No strings attached. I wanted you to loosen up and now you’re here because Woohyun is fucking some other guy. So, no strings attached.”

Sunggyu nodded.

“No strings at all.”

When their lips clashed this time, Sunggyu wasn’t the only one keyed up about it.

*********

Howon woke the next morning to Woohyun barging into his room as usual to wake him up when Woohyun stopped in his tracks and stared.

“What?” Howon asked.

“Is that…” Woohyun faltered. “Is that Sunggyu-hyung?”

“Yes. Why?”

Finally taking the moment to look, Howon took in Woohyun’s angry, hurt demeanor at the realization that Sunggyu was in Howon’s bed. But that didn’t make any sense. Sunggyu was the one in love with Woohyun. It wasn’t the other way around… or both ways.

Unless Howon had seriously miscalculated.

*********

** 2017 **

Sunggyu was already following Woohyun to the board, comforting words at the ready, while Howon stood there in stupor. No matter how many times they fought, when Woohyun was down, it was always Sunggyu. Howon had never bothered to try to figure out how Sunggyu did it.

But they’d been married for a whole year. This was their anniversary. Howon figured that it was about time he stepped up. If Woohyun was in trouble, Howon was going to have to start learning to deal with it, instead of pawning off the sorrowful times to Sunggyu.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING:
> 
> the sex in this chapter might seem... dubcon-ish. well, it is. but he'll like it. don't worry, when you get to the sex part, you'll know who the "he" is

**2017**

Woohyun didn’t want to cry. It was such a stupid thing to angst about. It was just a stupid painting. Why was everyone making such a big deal about it? So what he’d drawn his two favorite people into the painting? It didn’t mean he was invisible in their friendship. He knew he mattered. Hell, he’d been married for a year now so he knew how to care about someone without looking like a victim.

He didn’t feel like a victim. His best friend… his husband… they loved him. Two very precious people. He could do this.

“Fine. I’ll add myself to the damn painting.”

He didn’t have to look up to know that they were looking at each other over his head.

“Hyunie, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.” Sunggyu said.

Woohyun laughed.

“Don’t make it sound like you’re giving me the sex-pressure talk, hyung.”

“I’m just saying.”

“I get it.” He said, looking from one man to the other. “I want to do it. If this is a present from husband to husband, it should be perfect.”

*********

** 2014 **

“After making me promise never to fuck him?” Woohyun raged, shaking the empty bottle of soju in the bartender’s face as the man just nodded, continuing to wipe down the bar. “He’s such a hypocrite.” Woohyun said in realization. “And gay. He’s so gay. You know I’m sure he bottomed.” Woohyun hiccoughed.

“And the problem with bottoming would be…?” The bartender asked, raising an eyebrow at Woohyun.

“Nothing!” He said, quickly backtracking. “I love bottoms. If bottoms didn’t exist, who’d I have sex with?”

The bartender rolled his eyes and continued to work as Woohyun drank from the bottle in his hand and huffed, remembering that it was empty.

“And Howon!” He slammed the bottle on the bar. “That sleazy piece of shit.”

“Mm hmm.” The bartender agreed.

“He just waltzes into our apartment with his… his perfect hair and his jawline and his… his dick! I’m sure he bottomed too.”

“Then who fucked whom?”

“I’m sure they’re both bottoms. Pretty packages of happy bottoms that would just like me to go to town! And I’d make it good. If only they’d stop making me make selfless promises. I mean, how hard is it for someone to fuck someone they live with? There’s always a complication. The ones who mean nothing want it to mean everything. And the ones who mean everything want to fuck other people who are not you?” He picked up his empty bottle again and drank from it. “I hate men.” He dropped the bottle and looked around the bar. “I’m going to fuck a woman tonight.”

“No, you’re not.” The bartender said.

“You’re not the boss of me.”

“But I am.” Woohyun’s actual boss said sliding into the seat beside him as Woohyun turned back around and buried his head in his hand. “Where’s my painting, Hyun?”

“Hyung,” Woohyun started to lie, remembering how he’d stormed out of the house earlier that day without even picking up his equipment. “It’s ready. I promise.”

“You said that last week.” The newcomer said, pulling the bartender over the bar to land a comfortable kiss on the bartender’s lips. “Did you cut him off?”

“Yes.” The bartender said, finally taking the empty bottle from Woohyun’s hand. “He refused to leave.”

“You’re not drinking anymore.”

“Hyung!” Woohyun whined as the other man grabbed Woohyun’s jacket from the top of the bar. “Minseok-hyung, I don’t want to leave.”

“Yet you’re going.”

“Kiss me, hyung.”

“My boyfriend is literally two feet away from you.”

“I don’t care, he can kiss me too.”

Minseok looked at Woohyun as if he was contemplating it but then he shook his head.

“I’m taking you home and putting you in your bed.”

“Or!” Woohyun shouted, slinging his hands over Minseok’s shoulders as he brought their faces together. “You and Luhan-hyung can take me home and fuck me.”

“You don’t want Luhan.” Minseok said, trying to pull Woohyun’s hands from around his neck.

“Why not?” Woohyun asked, looking over Minseok’s shoulder at the bartender.

“Because he doesn’t bottom.”

Woohyun thought about it. Something in that sentence usually turned him off guys. He wasn’t sure at the moment, but he was drunken enough that his standards were rock-bottom.

“I don’t care.” He said.

“Really?” Luhan asked from where he was looking at Minseok and Woohyun. “You don’t mind that I’m a top?”

Again, Woohyun could feel his brain trying to tell him something but it just. Didn’t. Click.

“You’re drunk.” Minseok said.

“Ask me anything.”

“Two-fifty times five!” Minseok asked.

“One-two-fifty!”

“Pfft.” Luhan said. “Three hundred and nine times seven.”

“He’s a painter. He doesn’t know Math.” Minseok said.

Woohyun thought about it and then-

“Two, one, six, three!”

Luhan and Minseok looked at each other before Minseok shrugged.

“I’ll take your word for it.”

As Minseok led Woohyun out of the bar, Woohyun could hear Luhan giving instructions to another bartender to lock up behind him.

“Where are you going, Boss?” the new bartender asked.

“None of your damn business.” Luhan said, shedding his apron and picking his jacket as well.

*********

The trip from Luhan’s bar back to Woohyun’s apartment was a bit of a blur, but he could remember spending most of it with his dick down Luhan’s throat. By the time he was being dragged into his room, Woohyun couldn’t find it in himself to think about anything that was going on.

Sunggyu had hurt him so bad. After all these years. He’d thought he knew his hyung but he’d been so wrong. And now Sunggyu and Howon were… a thing.

But that didn’t matter. Because Woohyun was over them. He was here and Luhan and Minseok were going to fuck him senseless. He’d never felt so powerless during sex before. He’d always been the aggressor, the one in charge. And yet, that night, he’d just stood or sat or lay as the hyungs had positioned him, bringing him to orgasm after orgasm.

Bottoms had all the fun. All they got to do was lie there and be waited upon like pretty, delicate things. Woohyun was too loopy to examine what was actually going on around him, but by the first time he felt a finger circle his hole, he couldn’t help the tiny tremor that passed through his body.

At the end of the night, when Luhan and Minseok were both as sated as Woohyun felt, he felt them moving around his room and entering his bathroom and rummaging all over the place. He honestly couldn’t bring himself to care because if he was being truthful, Woohyun would admit that he was still a little bit drunk.

Minutes later, they got back into bed with him and Woohyun felt the warm dampness of a towel as they two hyungs went about cleaning him up, while telling him in hushed, calm tones what a good boy he’d been.

*********

Woohyun woke up naked, spread across his bed and alone. When he tried to lift his head from his pillow, it felt almost as if someone was hitting him with a hammer. So he dropped his head back down and turned to the side where he found a glass of water and a couple of pills. Reaching for them, he didn’t even question what they were. He threw the pills into his mouth and downed the water and then laid back down on his bed.

Last night was cathartic. Last night was awesome. Woohyun, however, could not believe that last night, he’d bottomed.

*********

** 2017 **

Woohyun got up from where he was sitting between the two of them and went back to his canvas, refusing to sniff as he wiped a tear from his eye.

“We’ll be late for our reservation.” He said, trying to move the discussion along. “Where are we having dinner?” He asked.

“At Gammong.” His husband said, coming around to hold Woohyun on the waist.


	5. Chapter 5

** 2017 **

Sunggyu didn’t need years of experience with Woohyun to tell the other man was uncomfortable. It was obvious in the tenseness of his shoulders and the way he stared passed Sunggyu, looking over his shoulder as if there was someone standing behind him. Sunggyu was ready to wrap him up in his arms and force Woohyun’s head down on his shoulder till he cried and opened up, but Sunggyu couldn’t. Because Howon looked just as pained, standing there and looking at Woohyun with confused determination.

“Who drove?” Woohyun asked, moving toward the door.

Howon’s eyes met Sunggyu’s and he knew what that meant too.

Just like him, Howon was wishing they’d taken the bus just so Woohyun wouldn’t be so eager to walk out of the studio. Not while they had so much to discuss.

*********

** 2014 **

He had an early morning at the studio in the company building. The CEO wanted to hear what he’d been working on. But Sunggyu knew his track record. He’d request new songs for the new girl group, but after Sunggyu wrote them, the CEO would turn around and recommend they be added to the vet boy group roster. He’d done it twice before. And it wouldn’t be such a problem if he didn’t feel like he was being lied to all the time.

Already feeling irritable, he yawned his way into the kitchen as he noticed a not-so-familiar, tiny form prancing around in there.

“Minseok?” Sunggyu asked as the painter turned around, looking a little caught before he smiled brightly.

“Hyung! You’re up.”

Sunggyu was confused.

“What are you doing here?” He asked as Minseok handed him a cup of cocoa. “I didn’t know Woohyun was showing you anything this week.”

“I’m not here for work.” Minseok said, shaking his head as his words sank in.

He wasn’t here for work. If he wasn’t here for work then he was…

Sunggyu set the cup down on the table and struggled to calm himself. This was so stupid. This was ridiculous. Woohyun was going to fuck EVERYONE but Sunggyu. He’d moved on from peers and passing one-night stands to his own boss but Sunggyu was somehow off limits? Sunggyu practically had to force a promise out of Woohyun and Howon or he was sure Woohyun would have fucked Howon.

Was Sunggyu so unattractive that Woohyun couldn’t touch him?

“I… I thought you were seeing someone? A bartender?”

“Yeah.” Minseok said, nodding as he waved at the sitting room behind Sunggyu where Sunggyu looked and found a long, lean beautiful man giving him a mock salute.

“Morning.” The other man said. “Luhan.”

Scoffing, Sunggyu turned away and stormed off.

*********

Howon was sleeping when Sunggyu got there, but he wasn’t going to have any of that. So he shook the man till Howon grunted and woke from sleep, eyeing Sunggyu in anger.

“What the fuck, hyung?”

“Woohyun just brought two guys home!” Sunggyu raged. “He fucked two guys. In this house. Last night.”

Sounding sleepy as he sat up, Howon yawned.

“He’s fucking them because of you.”

Sunggyu stopped moving.

“What?”

“He’s bringing all these people home because he wants to fuck you and he thinks you don’t want him.”

“He… does not!” What a foolish thing for Howon to say. Woohyun didn’t want Sunggyu.

“He found us here the night we slept together.”

“Yeah, so?”

“He was angry.”

“That I broke the roommate agreement.”

“No, you didn’t.”

“Yes, I-”

“Woohyun and I promised not to fuck each other. You and I never made any such promise.”

“Because neither of us is a man-whore.”

“Hyung, tell yourself whatever you want.” Howon stood to his feet. “But if you can’t see how much everything you do affects Woohyun’s life, then maybe you shouldn’t judge him whenever he brings home a man… or two.”

Stunned into silence, Sunggyu stood there as Howon made his way to the bathroom to take a piss.

*********

The apartment got more uncomfortable over the following weeks with Woohyun ignoring Howon and Sunggyu just as much as Sunggyu had tried to ignore him earlier. Add to that, the fact that Minseok and Luhan seemed to be permanent fixtures at their apartment, Sunggyu was about ready to burst in frustration.

Everywhere he looked, the other two men were there, hovering around Woohyun, doting on, spoiling him, fucking him. Sunggyu couldn’t even get two seconds with Woohyun to try and confirm Howon’s thoughts on the matter. Not that Sunggyu was actually sure he wanted to have that conversation because every time he thought of it, all he saw was:

_“Do you have feelings for me?”_

Laughter, then:

_“Hyung, are you crazy?”_

He knew he wouldn’t be able to handle that so Sunggyu stayed away.

Which wasn’t very hard to do. Not when he had Howon. After the first night, it took almost a month before an alcohol-filled night found Sunggyu crawling into Howon’s bed and demanding sex. He was sure he’d get punched. He was even ready for the pain he’d get along with it. He could never have anticipated the relief he felt when Howon had obliged, pulling the covers away so they could slide together and fuck all night.

Sunggyu hated himself for it. Hated the amount of comfort he found in it. He wasn’t in love with Howon and it didn’t seem very fair to have used him like that.

But then Howon had come calling himself, closing the door to Sunggyu’s studio and looking at him with lust and uncertainty. He wanted Sunggyu too. He wanted what they’d done before. Sunggyu could see it. Sunggyu was too thankful to recognize it. Whatever they were doing with each other, Sunggyu wasn’t going to examine the weight of what either of them was taking away from it. Because he was sure he’d crack under the pressure if he did.

As time went on, it began to become obvious that maybe Howon had had a point that day. Woohyun’s time with Luhan and Minseok started to slow to a stop but Woohyun made no move to integrate himself back to life with his two roommates. But he could note what was going on in Woohyun’s head. He could read the look of wistful anger whenever Howon and Sunggyu spent the night together and they had to look Woohyun in the face. He could understand that look because Sunggyu had spent years looking at it in the mirror.

So one day, unable to take it anymore, Sunggyu had cracked.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Sunggyu asked one night as when he stormed into Woohyun’s studio. “If you have feelings for me, why didn’t you tell me?”

Woohyun had looked at him sadly and then gone back to work, behaving as if Sunggyu wasn’t standing a few feet away from him.

*********

** 2017 **

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Sunggyu asked. “If you were feeling bad about something, why didn’t you talk to me?”

And just like Woohyun always did, Woohyun looked at Sunggyu sadly and turned away, behaving as if Sunggyu wasn’t standing a few feet from him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so... two more chapters to go :):):):):)


	6. Chapter 6

** 2017 **

Sensing tension in the room, Howon placed a hand each on both Sunggyu’s and Woohyun’s backs and laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

“You two always get so worked up over nothing.”

“Talk to me.” Sunggyu said, still looking at Woohyun. “Talk to us, Woohyun. We’re here for you.”

“I know you are.” Woohyun said, shifting out of Howon’s hand as if trying to put some distance. “I’m just-”

“What is it?”

Woohyun looked from one to the other and sighed.

“We’re going to lose our reservation at Gammong, aren’t we?”

Howon shrugged. This was more important than some fancy-schmancy restaurant. If Woohyun was feeling icky or down, he’d much rather deal with that than have a fake, fun evening anyway.

*********

** 2014 **

Howon wasn’t a fool. He knew why Woohyun was distant recently. He was sleeping with the person Woohyun was in love with. So Howon stopped. At least he tried to. For a total of four whole days before he cracked and went searching for the music producer. It was not as if Woohyun was abstaining himself. At first.

But then Woohyun seemed to have quit altogether and Howon started to feel like a proper douche.

“Are we cool?” He asked Woohyun one evening.

“Yes. Why?”

Howon had looked around the studio and noted the drying panels hanging by the window. It had taken him weeks to realize that Woohyun didn’t do his drying in the laundry room anymore. Woohyun had made space in his cluttered studio for drying and mucking out his equipment rather than use the spacey laundry room they had. He didn’t spend much time outside his room and his studio. More than that, he didn’t wake Howon up anymore. He didn’t make him breakfast or wait up for him to eat dinner with like he used to.

Howon deserved the distance. He deserved to be punished.

“I know you’re mad because of the Sunggyu thing-”

“What Sunggyu thing?” Woohyun asked, putting on the best poker face Howon had ever seen. If he hadn’t witnessed Woohyun’s pain that morning, he’d have had to rethink the whole situation. But he knew better.

“I didn’t know you liked him.” He said as Woohyun continued to work. “Until after that first day, I thought it was only him that liked you.”

“And yet you continued even after that.” Woohyun stated and Howon’s insides nearly drowned.

“You don’t understand-”

“Pretty sure I do.” Woohyun said, looking at Howon with a surprising amount of understanding.

“No. No, you don’t.”

“You thought you’d make him feel better that first day but then it happened a second time. And then a third. And now you can’t stop. Sounds about right?”

Howon’s lips couldn’t move,  no matter how hard he tried. What was he even going to say when Woohyun had explained it all out for him? Howon was stuck in this now. He’d put his leg in something that wasn’t his business and now, here he was, weeks later and completely tied to Sunggyu with strings he’d excluded from their deal.

“It’s not just him.” Howon said. “I don’t want to lose you too. You’re… you’re distant. I miss you, too.”

“I live here with you, Howon. I didn’t go anywhere.”

“Woohyun, please-”

“Look, I have work due, okay? I really don’t have time for this. If you want my blessing-”

“It’s not about that.”

“Then what are you doing here?” Woohyun asked. “What is this?”

Howon didn’t know. What was he doing there? He’d been honest: it wasn’t just about the blessing. He didn’t even want Woohyun’s blessing to go ahead and keep sleeping with Sunggyu. He wanted… he wanted… he didn’t know what he wanted.

“I don’t know.”

Woohyun laughed drily, shaking his head as he continued to paint.

“I really can’t deal with this. Just go do whatever you want.” He stated. “You’re both adults anyway.

“Woohyun-”

“Howon, please!” Woohyun snapped and Howon backed away in shock, feeling a tear slip from his eye at the amount of hate directed at him.

Turning around, he walked away from the room, struggling to hold his shoulders high.

*****

Howon cried that night.

Even when Sunggyu came in to his room, he couldn’t stop crying enough to even be turned on. Sunggyu didn’t push or demand. He just lay there, holding Howon and rocking him back and forth on the bed as Howon felt lulled till his eyes closed and he fell asleep.

When he woke the next morning still cradled in Sunggyu’s arms with all their clothes still on, Howon couldn’t control the thumping in his heart. What was this? What were they doing? Why did it feel so perfect? Why did it feel so wrong to leave Woohyun behind?

In his confusion, he didn’t notice Sunggyu’s eyes were open and watching him.

“Hyung.” Howon said, blushing.

“Morning. Feeling okay?”

“Yeah.” He knew he should get up. He was going to be late for work. But he wanted to stay right there and keep sleeping. He didn’t want to meet the outside world. He didn’t want to see anyone. But he had to. “Hyung?”

“Yes?”

“What are we doing?” He asked.

“We’re lying down.”

“You know what I mean.” He asked more seriously. “Why are you here?”

“We slept together.”

“Yeah but we didn’t have sex last night. What we had, hyung, were rules.” Howon stated, sounding harsher than he wanted to be. “No strings attached, remember?”

“These aren’t strings. This is me being here for you.”

“And Woohyun? Where does he stand in all of this?”

“What does Woohyun have to do with anything?”

“It means you’re in here doing boyfriend things with me when the man of your dreams is out there.”

Sunggyu pulled his hand out from under Howon with shock and confusion apparent on his face.

“I was trying to be nice.”

“I’m not supposed to have your niceness, remember? No strings attached, hyung.”

“That’s no reason for you to be mad at me.”

“I’m not MAD!” Howon shouted getting up from his bed. “I’m not mad. I just… I don’t understand. What are we doing? I’m asking.”

“We’re just having fun. Don’t over think it.”

“Why not? You don’t have feelings for me?” Howon asked just to prove a point but somehow found himself wondering if he really wanted to know the answer to that.

Sunggyu stared up at him, mouth hanging open but no words emerged.

“Do you still have feelings for Woohyun?”

“It’s a lot more complicated than that, Howon.”

“Is it? You either have feelings for someone or you don’t.”

“It’s never that easy.”

“It is for me.” Howon said calmly as Sunggyu’s mouth closed.

With nothing left to say, he went to take a shower, closing the door behind him as he sank to the floor. Sunggyu didn’t have feelings for him. Woohyun had shunned him.

And yet, all Howon could think about was how hard it was to fall in love with two people.

*********

** 2017 **

Howon closed the doors after the food delivery man pulled his trolley out of the studio. When he looked back, Woohyun was arranging the food on the floor, away from his work while Sunggyu watched Howon.

“Stop freaking out.” He said to Howon.

“He’s my husband. He’s my best friend.” Howon said. “And I can’t even get through to him unless you’re in the room.”

Sunggyu laughed.

“I’ve known him seven years. Stop trying to be on my level.”

Howon bumped his shoulder against Sunggyu’s as they headed back to Woohyun, but then Sunggyu took him by the hand and turned him around, placing a soft, sensual kiss against Howon’s lips.

“Stop freaking out.” He repeated. “We’ll all be fine.”


	7. Chapter 7

** 2017 **

“So,” Howon started. “What’s really going on?”

Woohyun dropped his plate and chewed till he swallowed.

“You’ve already cornered me so I won’t drag this out anymore.”

“He said, dragging it out.” Sunggyu said, seeing right through Woohyun as usual.

“Fine.” He said, feeling stupid and childish now that he thought about it. “It’s a thing I have about you two.”

Two pairs of eyebrows rose in identical fashion as if to say, “Obviously!”

“When you made that deal that day? That first day you two met, it felt like nothing at the time…” he paused before pushing through. “But, I felt excluded. That’s all.”

“Why?”

Woohyun didn’t know whether to laugh or not.

“Hyung, you two started having sex right after that, remember?”

“Yeah, but that was because I was jealous. You know that, right?”

“I know that.” Woohyun said, feeling like a liar. “Sometimes. I mean, sometimes I know that it was about me and I wasn’t exactly irrelevant.”

“But…?” Howon prodded.

“But sometimes I think about it and I realize that while I was promising never to sleep with anyone in the apartment and Howon was promising never to sleep with me, neither of you promised the same to each other.” He said, feeling his eyes water. “And then you shook on it.” Woohyun shook his head because he wasn’t going to cry. “Sometimes, when I think about it, I feel like you cut me out. You made a deal and cut me out and you shook on it. Like a marriage.” 

Woohyun took a deep breath and went back to his food.

*********

** 2014 **

“They suck.” Woohyun said to the bar ceiling as he lay on the bar top while Luhan worked his books at a table and Minseok made them drinks behind the bar.

“Go home, Woohyun.” Luhan said, shaking his head in exasperation as Woohyun ignored him.

“Howon had the audacity to come and ask for my permission. Fuck him sideways, the asshole. He should die of guilt.”

“You don’t mean that.” Minseok added.

“I don’t?” Woohyun asked. “Really? I’m sure he’d die happily. What with all the sex. I saw him first. I picked him out. And if his stupid, fucking pledge hadn’t happened, we’d have fucked by now. Oh, I hate them.”

“Of course you do.” Luhan said as Woohyun pretended not to notice the look passing between them. 

“I cannot believe I haven’t done anything with either of them.” Woohyun said sitting up.

“Is that such a bad thing?” Minseok dropped a glass of wine by Woohyun’s ass. “You’re always sleeping with everyone, you never get a chance to connect with people.”

“Because sex is easy. Sex is awesome. Sex doesn’t make me feel like I want to gouge my eyes whenever I hear them having sex.”

“So you’re afraid of having deep connections with people?”

“I’m not afraid of anything. Look at Sunggyu-hyung. I’m connected to him. I’ve lived with him since I graduated. He’s my best friend.”

“And yet you’re ignoring him.”

“Because... feelings. Gah!” Woohyun downed his cup and regretted wasting the wine the moment the last bit of it hit the back of his throat and he found himself missing the beautiful sweetness he’d have witnessed if he’d taken his time. 

“If it’s just feelings, then why are you ignoring Howon as well?” Luhan asked. 

Woohyun hesitated.

“Howon is different.” Woohyun said. “I don’t have feelings for him.”

“Then why aren’t you talking to him? He’s your friend. From what you’re saying, he was only trying to help.”

“Until he let Sunggyu fuck him. He was so eager to give me up. He didn’t even blink when he promised never to come near me sexually.”

“So you’re jealous that he didn’t want you but he wants Sunggyu?”

“That’s not what I’m saying.”

“Then what are you saying?”

Woohyun thought about it for a second. Or two.

“Shut your face.” 

*********

** 2017 **

“I made him make that pact just so he’d never sleep with you, Woohyun. I didn’t want him to sleep with you. Look at me.” Sunggyu said, reaching over their food and lifting Woohyun’s face. “I love you.”

*********

** 2014 **

As Woohyun entered the house and took off his shoes, it only took him a second to realize the complete lack of Howon’s sneakers on the shoe rack. Confused, he put on his slippers and entered, listening to the muffled voices coming from Howon’s room.

Great. They’d taken sex to his side of the house now. At least when they fucked in Sunggyu’s room, Woohyun was spared most of the details. 

Delaying his frustration, he drank water and licked some cheese then dragged himself to his room, walking past Howon’s door as he realized they weren’t having sex. Howon’s room was full of boxes and he and Sunggyu looked like they were having a fight.

“Get out of my way.” Howon said, walking past Sunggyu as he put some files into a box.

“Leaving won’t solve anything.”

“I can’t stay here either.”

What the fuck? What the hell?

“What are you doing?” Woohyun asked, entering the room to find the bed laid bare and the wardrobes almost empty. “You’re not leaving.”

Howon laughed and continued to pack.

“Don’t worry. I’m not asking for my rent back. You can keep it.”

“What? This has nothing to do with money.”

Sunggyu sat on the bed, looking distraught as he watched Howon fill up another box.

“Where would you stay? You don’t have anybody in Seoul.”

“I called a workmate. I can crash there for a week or two.”

“You’re not leaving.” Woohyun said, upturning a box of clothes as Howon cussed in anger and shoved Woohyun away. 

“Stop that!”

“Is this because of what I said the other day?” Woohyun asked. “Don’t be a baby!”

“Right! Says the guy who refused to tell his roommate he was in love with him.”

Woohyun felt the heat rising from his neck as he stood there, struggling not to look at Sunggyu and confirm that yes, he had heard Howon’s words.

“There’s no need to be overdramatic.”

“Overdramatic?” Howon asked. “You are calling me overdramatic? Nam Woohyun? Well, I guess I’ve reached a new low.

“Sunggyu-hyung, say something to him.”

“What do you want me to say?”

“This is your fault.”

“How is this my fault?” Sunggyu asked, standing up.

“Whenever I sleep with a roommate and they leave, you say it’s my fault.”

“But Howon isn’t in love with me.”

Howon laughed loudly, drawing both their attention as he bent forward, looking as if he’d fall over but he wedged himself on a box. But soon, the laughter began to sound like he was crying and when he stood straight; they could see that there was no smile in his features… no happiness at all.

Howon was crying.

“Oh my god! I grew a vagina when I moved into this apartment.”

“Please, don’t go.” Sunggyu pleaded. And if Woohyun wasn’t glad for the backup, he knew he’d feel a little jealous at how lost Sunggyu sounded. “We can talk about this.”

“Let’s talk then.” Howon said, dropping the things in his hand as he faced the two of them. “Let’s talk about how you both are in love with each other but I’m left out in the cold. Let’s talk about how I’ll live here with you two and be the eternal third wheel. Let’s talk about how much history there is between you two and how I’m just the character in the story who came in to stimulate enough conflict for you two to realize that you love each other. How about that? Let’s talk about that.”

*********

** 2017 **

Woohyun shivered when he felt Howon’s hands graze the back of his neck and he looked at his other husband.

“I didn’t know you then.” Howon said. “I needed an apartment and your apartment was gorgeous. I promise you, if you’d asked me to promise never to sleep with Sunggyu just to stay, I’d have done it.”

Woohyun laughed, unable to stop himself as Howon smiled at him, still touching his neck.

*********

** 2014 **

Woohyun couldn’t let Howon leave. But his mouth was stuck. He felt heavy. What was he going to say? He didn’t want Howon to feel like the third wheel. If anything he’d been feeling like the third wheel for the past month. Maybe he’d been wrong. 

Maybe this whole thing had been about him to begin with. And he’d been too caught up in his anger and jealousy to realize that Sunggyu wanted him back. And that Howon wanted him too. Right? That had to be true, right? Why else would Howon be leaving? Was it just about Sunggyu? It couldn’t be. He’d come in to see Woohyun the other day.

_“If you want my blessing-”_

_“It’s not about that.”_

_“Then what are you doing here?”_

_“I don’t know.”_

Oh, Woohyun had been so stupid. And now they were going to lose Howon. Judging from Sunggyu’s present state, he didn’t want to lose Howon either.

“You won’t be a third wheel.” Woohyun said.

“What? If I stay, you’ll both stay away from each other? Yeah, because that’s so healthy.”

“Maybe we don’t have to stay away from each other.” Woohyun said as both Sunggyu and Howon looked at him. “Maybe we… all of us… we don’t have to stay away from each other.”

“What are you saying?” Sunggyu asked him. “What do you mean?”

“He wants you. You want him. I’m cool with that.” Woohyun said, understanding the weird turn the conversation was taking. He was beginning to wonder if he shouldn’t steer it back to the fight. That was safer. That was more normal than what he was suggesting.

“But what about you?” Howon asked. “I’m not staying here just to get between you two. I’m leaving.” He stated, but Woohyun noted that Howon wasn’t packing anymore. He was standing there, looking at Woohyun.

“I could… I could be there too.” He said, feeling silly. “I’ve fucked two guys before.”

“Fuck!” Sunggyu cussed, turning away as Howon blushed tremendously.

“What does that mean? You don’t want both of us. You want Sunggyu-hyung.”

“If you’ll notice Howon, there are only two guys I spend a lot of time with that I haven’t fucked. One of them is Sunggyu-hyung.” Woohyun said, looking at the oldest in the room. Sunggyu looked thoughtful. He looked calculating. Like he always did when he was plotting music in his head. And then his eyes brightened in acceptance.

“The other guy is me!” Howon finally said, breaking the moment between Woohyun and Sunggyu as they both looked at him.

“Yes.” Woohyun nodded, hoping Howon could understand what he was saying. What he was trying to say. “The other guy is you.”

*********

** 2017 **

Woohyun wiped the tears from his eyes, feeling stupid again.

“I always cry about rubbish.”

“It’s not rubbish.” Sunggyu said, pecking him.

“It’s rubbish when you paint unrealistic paintings for our anniversary.” Howon scolded. “Did you think I was going to let you hang that up in our house?”

“I know I’m stupid.”

“Yes you are.” Howon agreed. “But I love your stupid ass.” He leaned over too and pecked Woohyun. And kissed him on the lips. And then kissed him on the neck. While he continued to kiss Woohyun’s neck, Sunggyu cupped Woohyun at the back of his head and kissed him on the lips too as Woohyun wrapped his hand around both of them.

“Sometimes I wish I had two dicks.” Woohyun said as both Sunggyu and Howon paused their ministrations.

Then they all burst into laughter, falling on the floor. This was what he wanted all his life. A man to love and understand him. And a man to accept all his idiosyncrasies. A man who would know when to read him, understand and laugh with him. A best friend in a husband. A husband in a best friend.

He could not be more happy that he’d somehow found two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End


End file.
